Copper/carbon core/shell nanoparticles (CCCSNs) recently have been introduced as an industrial material. In this paper, composites based on high density polyethylene (HDPE), bamboo fiber, CCCSNs, and coupling agent (MAPE) were prepared by melt compounding. The influence of CCCSN content on the resulting composites’ mechanical, biological resistance, and thermal properties was investigated. It was found that CCCSNs within the carbon black matrix were processed well with bamboo fiber-plastic blends through mixing and injection molding. The materials enhanced composite strength and modulus-related properties. Composites with CCCSNs and natural fibers reduced heat capacity and thermal diffusivity. Composites with CCCSN materials also enhanced termite and mold performance. Thus, the material can be used as additive for plastics and other polymers to modify strength properties, biological resistance (e.g., mold and stain), and thermal conductivity properties.
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... These novel materials have distinct physical and chemical properties (20), different from their bulk counterparts or molecular compounds, that enhance bacterial binding, disruption of cell membranes, inhibition of enzyme activity and DNA synthesis (21,22). Their promising results have raised interest in evaluating metal-based nanoparticles in the field of aquaculture to reduce pathogens in the water (23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28). ...
... Copper/carbon core/shell nanoparticles (CCCSNs) are a type of copper-based nanoparticles coated with a thin protective carbon shell (27). This coating is suppose to reduce the amount of copper ions released into the environment. ...
Copper-based fungicides have a long history of usage in agriculture and aquaculture. With the rapid development of metal-based nanoparticles, copper-based nanoparticles have attracted attention as a potential material for prevention and control of Saprolegnia parasitica. The present study investigated the effectiveness of copper/carbon core/shell nanoparticles (CCCSNs) and a commercial CCCSNs filter product (COPPERWARE®) against S. parasitica in a recirculating system. Results showed that the growth of agar plugs with mycelium was significantly suppressed after exposure to both CCCSNs powder and COPPERWARE® filters. Even the lowest concentration of CCCSNs used in our study (i.e., 100 mg/mL) exhibited significant inhibitory effects on S. parasitica. The smallest quantity of the filter product COPPERWARE® (3.75 × 3.7 × 1.2 cm, 2.58 g) used in our aquarium study also demonstrated significant inhibition compared with the control group. However, we observed leaching of copper into the water especially when larger quantities of COPPERWARE® were used. Water turbidity issues were also observed in tanks with the filter material. Besides these issues, which should be further investigated if the product is to be used on aquatic species sensitive to copper, CCCSNs has promising potential for water disinfection.
... The increase in tensile strength may suggest stronger interface bonding amid the matrix and palm fibre, which increased the stress transfer efficiency of the composite as a response or hydrogen bonding, at the interface, among the hydroxyl sets of the palm fibre on one cross and the carboxylic sets of the PEMA diffused matrix polymer on the rival is formed [55]. In general the coupling agent system led to relatively balanced values in all properties, and enhanced mechanical properties of the system and shown positive effects in the modifying the properties of the composite with material [55,[58][59][60][61][62][63][64]. This behaviour of the coupling agents is clearly seen in the SEM micrographs in Figure 4-C, an increase in the interfacial adhesion and the dispersal of the palm fillers within the polymer matrix [65]. ...
The influence of three types of coupling agents [Polyethylene-co-methacrylic acid (PEMA),
Polyethylene-graft-Maleic anhydride (PEgMA) and Polyethylene-co-methacrylic acid zinc salt
(PEMA-Zn)] on organic fiber reinforced polymer synthesis with 10% of Date palm fibre was
investigated. Thermal and mechanical properties and the relation with the interfacial adhesion
and microstructure were explained. The Morphologies of composites were conducted out by
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The mechanical and thermal properties of different
samples were evaluated by Tensile Test, Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) and Thermo
gravimetric Analysis (TGA) apparatus respectively. The Tensile strength and Young’s modulus
were improved after the adding of the compatibilizers. The melting and crystallization
temperature of the matrix were not influenced by the accumulation of the three types of MA. An
increase in the transcrystalization, characteristic of the semicrytalline thermoplastic matrix
composite, was taken into account because it enhanced tensile strength of the composites. The
percentage and the type of the MA used in the 10% date palm fibre/HDPE composite improved
the interfacial adhesion and the dispersion of the palm fillers within the polymer matrix but no
preferred type or percentage can be advised as all of them have the approximate effect on the
mechanical and thermal properties.
... 20 It was reported that copper amine had high anti-microbial activity in wood plastics composites. 11 Wu et al. 21 reported that copper/carbon core/shell nanoparticles could be used as additive for plastics and other polymers to modify strength properties, biological resistance, and thermal conductivity properties. Yadav and Yusoh 22 improved the physical and thermal properties by incorporating modified pristine nanoclay in wood plastic composites using transition metal copper(II) ion. ...
... However, due to its high mammalian and environmental toxicity, it has been banned by EU legislation in 2003 and is being phased out also by other countries. Presently, anti-termite wood preservative treatments include those containing boron (Gentz and Grace 2006;Nami Kartal et al. 2007;Kose et al. 2011;Han et al. 2012;Li et al. 2012), copper and/or zinc (Tascioglu and Tsunoda 2010;Wu et al. 2012;Maistrello et al. 2012a;Akhtari and Nicholas 2013). More treatments are being discovered and tested, such as those derived from plants (Kartal et al. , 2012(Kartal et al. , 2013. ...
A standard is a technical document approved by a recognized certification body at national or international level, which defines and unifies the characteristics and specifications of a process, product or service, to ensure quality and safe, reliable performances in respect to environment. The use of international standards allows to remove barriers to world trade, and their importance is particularly recognized in the field of wood technology, to guarantee that preservatives are effective in protecting wood from biotic degradation agents, such as termites. In the European Union, the USA, Australia and Japan, the existing standard norms to test efficacy against termites are exclusively related to subterranean species (Rhinotermitidae). Due to the great differences in biological features, these standards are not suitable for drywood termites (Kalotermitidae) that, on the other hand, are increasingly indicated as serious wood pests, worldwide. This chapter aims at filling this gap by outlining the differences in biology, ecology and behaviour of the two types of termites and their importance as invasive pests, describing the importance and features of standard norms and reviewing the available standards for wood protection against termites. Finally, a proposal for a standard protocol is presented, specifically developed to determine the efficacy of preventive wood treatments on drywood termites.
... However, termites, rot and mold fungi, and sunlight can still degrade wood and break down the plastics in WPCs, leading to reduced long-term durability of the materials [4,5]. Thus, certain biocides such as zinc borate are included in commercial WPC formulations to help the products against fungi, termites, and/or mold [6,7]. ...
Wood plastic composites (WPCs) containing wood fibers treated with micronized copper quaternary were made through melt blending and co-extrusion using resins including virgin high density polyethylene (V-HDPE), recycled HDPE (R-HDPE) and recycled polypropylene/HDPE (R-PP/PE) hybrid. Mechanical properties, dynamic moisture absorption, and chemical leaching properties of the WPCs were investigated. The results showed well defined core–shell interface boundaries in the co-extruded composites. Micro-voids were formed in the R-PP/PE hybrid resin composite due to poor compatibility among wood fibers and the matrix, resulting in a weak composite. Extruded WPCs with treated wood fibers through profile extrusion had competitive mechanical properties. Co-extrusion led to enhanced bending strength and impact strength for the composites, allowing using a relatively weak core system for cost saving while maintaining good composite quality. The shell layer in coextruded composites reduced the rate of moisture uptaking by 76.85, 82.96, and 89.83%, respectively, for V-HDPE, R-HDPE, and R-PP/PE resin systems on average. The shell layer in coextruded composites also reduced the cu ion leaching by 86.2, 80.7, and 97.3%, respectively, for V-HDPE, R-HDPE, and R-PP/PE resin systems. The process provides a technical route to add values to treated wood fibers for composite applications with reduced environmental impact.
... However, during implementation of the Biocidal Products Directive (98/8/EC 1998), the use of wood preservatives containing chromium was considerably limited and even banned in some EU countries. In order to meet legislative requirements, chromium compounds in wood preservatives were replaced with amines, predominately ethanolamine (Pankras et al. 2012;Tascioglu et al. 2013) or they are prepared in the form of so-called micronized copper (Matsunaga et al. 2009;Wu et al. 2012), which limits copper leaching from wood. Unfortunately, fixation of copperethanolamine-based wood preservatives is not as effective as the fixation of copper-chromium ones (Humar et al. 2001;Cooper and Ung 2009). ...
Copper-ethanolamine-based wood preservatives are still the most important solutions for protecting wood in ground applications in Europe. Wood in the ground is exposed to a variety of organisms that can act synergistically. In order to simulate these conditions in the laboratory, Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) specimens impregnated with copper-ethanolamine preservative of three different concentrations (cCu = 0.125%, 0.25%, and 0.5%) were exposed to three different soils according to procedure ENV 807, for periods between 12and 32 weeks. After the relevant period of exposure, samples were isolated, and their mass loss, bending strength, and modulus of elasticity were determined. In the final step, the remaining copper in the samples was determined. The results showed that, in spite of significant copper leaching, the tested copper-ethanolamine-treated wood exhibited good performance in ground applications. Furthermore, a good correlation was found between the mechanical properties and mass loss, regardless of the chemical treatment applied.
The world is in need of more eco-friendly material, therefore numerous efforts have been made to replace synthetic fibers in fiber-reinforced composites with natural fibers reinforced composite (NFRC), owing to growing environmental consciousness and the depletion of oil supplies. The low cost, low density, abundance, and biodegradability of NFRC, have encouraged several researchers worldwide to study their potential applications in a number of industrial sectors. However, NFRC have several disadvantages, including excessive moisture absorption and subsequent swelling and degradation, low chemical and fire resistance, significant mechanical characteristics dispersion, insufficient interfacial interactions with polymeric or cementitious matrices, etc. Consequently, there is great interest in modifying the surface of NFRC using a variety of methods. This review presents an overview of the NFRC, its characterization, the problems associated with adding NFRC to polymer matrix. The main motive of this article is to review existing research on the surface treatments of NFRC, namely alkali, silane, acetylation, benzoylation, etc., which are all used to reduce moisture absorption and fibers deterioration in order to tackle their obvious disadvantages and effectively employ in a variety of application areas. The effect of these surface treatments on the hydrophilicity, surface chemistry, interface bonding, mechanical characteristics, and thermal performance of NFRC has also been addressed. In addition, we conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the surface treatment of NFRC using nanoparticles (NPs) to increase the hydrophobicity and interfacial bonding between the NFRC and polymer matrix, which might improve the strength and dimensional stability of NFRC. As a result, this review article may make a valuable contribution for researchers interested in coating and treating NFRC to further enhance their surface characteristics.
PDMS-based fouling release coatings have promising applications in the fields of marine fouling control. However, development of silicone-based coatings with good antifouling / fouling-release property under relative static conditions remains challenging. In this work, a new PDMS-based nanocomposite coating consisting of PDMS matrix and nanofiller of [email protected] core-shell nanoparticles was developed. Uniformly dispersed [email protected] core-shell in the PDMS matrix enhance the antifouling ability. The PDMS with low surface energy endows the composite coatings with hydrophobicity thus fouling release property. The introduction of [email protected] core-shell/PDMS improves both the Young's modulus, tensile strength and the elongation at break. Furthermore, laboratory bioassay against diatom adhesion and field tests indicated that the PDMS-based nanocomposite coatings with [email protected] core-shell exhibited outstanding antifouling / fouling-release property even under static conditions, showing promising application in marine antifouling.
Carbonaceous anode materials are widely used for a variety of applications in current electrochemical energy storage field. However, carbon nanospheres are much more difficult to be directionally assembled into self-supported arrays. In this paper, we demonstrate a facile and controlled strategy to effectively synthesize the hollow nickel microtube/carbon nanospheres core–shell arrays. The unique core–shell arrays structural is beneficial to electron conduction and structural stability of whole composite material as a binder-free electrode. The hollow nickel microtube/carbon nanospheres core–shell arrays exhibit good the reversible capacity, rate capability and a specific capacity of 148 mAhh g⁻¹ after 100 cycles by the effective improved of electrical conductivity and constructing open channels for Li ion diffusion.
The goal of this study was to evaluate the decay resistance of different ratio of ST/MMA/clay monomer system impregnated batai wood polymer nanocomposites (WPNCs) against Trametes versicolor (white-rot) and Chaetomium globosum (soft rot) fungi. Besides, Kumpang wood was impregnated by styrene, 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate (MSPMA), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), maleic acid (MA), glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), and nanoclay. Overall, both fungi very lightly attacked to the 50:50:5 ST/MMA/clay monomers impregnated WPNCs. 50:50:5 ST/MMA/clay monomer impregnated WPNCs greatly enhance the decay resistance against the both fungi. For Kumpang wood, the raw wood was well impregnated and improved the decay resistance toward Trametes versicolor and Coniphora puteana. Therefore, it is recommended that 50:50:5 ST/MMA/clay monomers impregnated WPNCs as well as ST-co-MSPA-WPC, ST-clay-WPNC, ST-co-MA-WPC, and ST-co-GMA-WPCs are technically suitable for exterior use where both moisture and favorable conditions for fungi development are present. Besides, WPCs at pH8 and pH9 showed higher decay resistance toward Coniphora puteana and Trametes versicolor, respectively.
Coupling agents in wood fiber and polymer composites (WFPC) play a very important role in improving the compatibility and adhesion between polar wood fibers and non-polar polymeric matrices. In this paper, we review coupling agents, pretreatment, and mixing technology for wood fiber and polymer currently used in the manufacture of WFPC. So far, over forty coupling agents have been used in production and research. These agents are classified as organic, inorganic, and organic-inorganic groups, among which organic agents are better than inorganic agents because of stronger interfacial adhesion. The most popular coupling agents currently being used include isocyanates, anhydrides, silanes, and anhydride-modified copolymers. Coupling agents are usually coated on the surface of wood fiber, polymer or both by compounding, blending, soaking, spraying, or other methods. Three basic processes suitable for coupling treatment are discussed: directly coating during mixing and fully or partly pretreating before mixing. The pretreatment of wood fiber and polymer by coating or grafting is the preferred method to improve the mechanical properties of WFPC.
Coupling agents in wood fiber and polymer composites (WFPC) play a very important role in improving the compatibility and adhesion between polar wood fibers and non-polar polymeric matri- ces. In this paper, we review coupling agents, pretreatment, and mixing technology for wood fiber and polymer currenrly used in the manufacture of WFPC. So far, over forty coupling agents have been used in production and research. These agents are classified as organic, inorganic, and organic-inor- ganic groups, among which organic agents are better than inorganic agents because of stronger inter- facial adhesion. The most popular coupling agents currently being used include isocyanates, anhy- dridcs, silanes, imd anhydride-modified copolymers. Coupling agents are usually coated on the surface oi wood fiber, polymer or both by compounding, blending, soaking, spraying, or other methods. Three basic processes suitable for coupling treatment are discussed: directly coating during mixing and fully or partly pretreating before mixing. The pretreatment of wood fiber and polymer by coating or grafting is the preferred method to improve the mechanical properties of WFPC.2
The effect of wood/plastic ratio and the presence of a boron compound on resistance to biodegradation of wood plastic composites (WPC's) by the brown rot fun-gus Gloeophyllum trabeum was investigated in a soil block exposure. Weight losses of all WPC's were gen-erally lower than those of solid wood, even when only the wood component of the WPC was used in calculating weight loss. Higher wood content was associated with greater weight losses, suggesting that the plastic encap-sulated wood at lower wood levels. Borates markedly reduced weight losses at all wood/plastic ratios. Weight losses tended to be slightly lower with a Na/Ca borate than with similar levels of zinc borate. Mechanical prop-erties did not correlate well with weight losses under the conditions evaluated, but these effects may have been masked by moisture sorption. The causes and implica-tions of these differences are discussed.
Thermoplastics are replacing traditional materials such as glass, metal, and wood. They often cost less than competing materials and may offer enhanced performance characteristics. Thermoplastics facilitate part integration, whereby several parts can be injection molded into one piece, reducing production time and costs. Functional fillers extend the property spectrum and allow plastics entry into new applications. They are easy to incorporate into plastics and offer myriad possibilities for product improvement and differentiation. These additives play an essential role in tuning processability as well as mechanical, thermal, optical, electrical, and other properties. Fillers are an extremely diverse group, comprising minerals, metals, ceramics, bio-based (e.g., plant matter), gases, liquids, and other polymers. Any particulate material added to a plastic will behave like a filler and alter properties. Despite the vast array of potential filler types, elastomers account for approximately 50% of filler usage, while thermoplastics account for 35% and thermosets account for 15%.
Wood-plastic composites (WPC) industry in the US is discussed. The WPC market was 320,000 metric tons in the year 2001, and the volume is expected to double by the year 2005. Growth of the WPC market may be accelerated by the phase out of chromated copper arsenate wood for residential uses such as decks, playgrounds and fencing. Future of WPC will depend on new product identification, product quality, consumer reaction/perceptions, and success of research and development.
There is limited information available on the susceptibility of Woodfiber/thermoplastic composites to biodegradation. The objective of this paper is to report on the laboratory decay resistance of model composites. Polypropylene/pine composites were made with 30, 40, 50, 60, or 70 percent wood contents and exposed to brown- or white-rot fungi. In addition, 50/50 woodfiber/thermoplastic composites were treated with zinc borate (ZB) preservative at loadings of 1,3, or 5 percent and evaluated against the brown-rot fungus. The effect of surface abrasion on decay was investigated by sanding the surface of some samples. Weight loss was proportional to wood content in the unpreserved composites. Substantial weight losses were observed for all unpreserved composites tested with the brown-rot fungus, while white-rot attack was only significant in the high wood content composites, particularly when the surface of the samples was sanded prior to exposure to the fungus. The incorporation of ZB into the composites provided protection from fungal attack at all loadings.
Peer review completed Revised version received and accepted
Apr 2012
Article submitted: March 14, 2012; Peer review completed: May 28, 2012; Revised
version received and accepted: May 31, 2012; Published: June 6, 2012.
Carbon-encased metal nano-particles and sponges, methods of synthesis and method of use
Jan 2012
K Lian
Q Wu
Lian, K., and Wu, Q. (2012). "Carbon-encased metal nano-particles and sponges,
methods of synthesis and method of use," US Patent Application Publication No
US2012/0021222.
Biological deterioration of woodbased composite panels
Jan 2000
7-14
P E Laks
D L Richter
G L Larkin
Laks, P. E., Richter, D. L., and Larkin, G. L. (2000). "Biological deterioration of woodbased composite panels," Wood Design Focus 11(4), 7-14.
Nanotechnology Application in Forest Health Management. p186. In: The 15th Association of Research Directors Biennial Research Symposium Program and Abstracts
Apr 2009
Y Qi
K Lian
Q Wu
K L Chin
D Collins
K Klepzig
Qi, Y., Lian, K., Wu, Q., Chin. K. L., Collins, D., Klepzig, K., and Li,Y. (2009).
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